Convertible hand bag



0.29,19s5. Y L, RODGERS 2,6183% CONVERTIBLE HAND BAG Filed June 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l fl Z/ Leo J RODGERS L. J. RODGERS CONVERTIBLE HAND BAG Oct. 29, 1935.

Fi l ed June 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIII 4 jgoJRonczks Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVERTIBLE HAND BAG Leo J. Rodgers, Highland Park, Mich. Application June 5,1935, Serial No. 25,136

H '5 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improved convertible hand bag which may readily be converted into various shapes, and employed for various purposes; as a shopping bag, a satchel, a

a kit-case, a carrier for a foldable umbrella or parasoL-a pocket-book, and other carrying-receptacles.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a handbag which may withfacility be quickly transformed from one shape to .another shape, .in order to adapt the bag for use as a receptacle in which different commodities of various .sizes and shapes may conveniently be. carried orstored, and the bag itself may also be readily compacted intosmall compass for storage when not in use. Y a In carrying out myinvention I make provision for two compartments in the bag, which compartments are commodious and adapted for convenient storage of flat articles, and the bag which is fashionedwith extended ends is provided with an opening ormouth of suiiicient capacity to permit theinsertion or stowing away of articles of considerable length, as for instance, afolded parasol or umbrella. .The bag-may also be readily converted into a single compact compartment in whicha lunch box, or other receptacle of similar nature may be .stored when. using the bag as a kit-case.. Under such conditions the kit-case may beemployed as an arm rest by motorists and other travellers. 7

.Incarry-ing out my invention I fashion the bag with .foldable top and .ends of flexible material, and foldable bottom sections, the latter being vstiffened or semi-rigid for performance of the functions of a brace or reinforcement'to maintain the shape of the bag, thereby dispensing with the necessity for use of rigid frames and distending devices.

The closure or fastening device for the mouth or opening of the ebagis fashioned in such manner as to'perform .its functions with facility, regardless of the shape of the converted bag, and the closure device is always readily accessible for use when required.

.-The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts for accomplishing the objects and purposes noted above as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention. It will be understood, however, that various changes and alterations may be made in the exemplifying structures, within the scope of my appended claims, without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is-a perspective view of the hand bag embodying my invention.

Figure 2 isa bottom plan view of the bagshowing the hingedfoldablebottom in flattened shape, and the snap fastener for the two bottom sections.

Figure 3is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of the bag of Figure 1, showing the infolded top and bottom portions-of the bag to form partitions and spaced compartments within the bag.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bag in the form or shape of a pocket book, or satchel, having a flat bottom. a

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another form or shape of the bag, in the nature of a lunch-kit, or kit-case that is adapted to be used as an armrest.

.In the preferred form of my invention the body portion is fashioned of a piece of leather or other suitable, flexible material, and the body comprises the rectangular side walls I and 2, and the rec- 25 tangular bottom, the whole preferably being formed with an ornamental and reinforcing binding, border, or rim 3. The foldable, sectional bottom comprises two lateral parts 4 and 5 having foldable joints 4' and 5' with the side walls I and 2 of the bag-and the sectional bottom is fashioned with a central, longitudinal hinge 6. These three foldable joints permit the bottom to be infolded as in Figures 1 and 3, or the bottom may be fiattened as in Figures 4 and 5.

As best seen in Figures 2 and 3 the foldable bottom is provided with two spaced, fiat strips 1 and 8 that are embedded in the respective sections in suitable manner, and these strips, which are of rigid material, reinforce and brace the bottom of the bag for the purpose of maintaining its shape. 7

On the exterior face of the bottom sections of the bag are mounted the complementary members of a snap fastener, or other quick detachable fastening, here shown as a head 9 and a complementary socket l0, located near the foldable edges 5' and 4', and adapted to hold the bottom of the bag when the latter or bottom is infolded as in Figures 1 and 3.

The bagis fashioned with any suitable handles, as the loops H and I2 that are attached in appropriate manner to the outer faces of the two side walls of the bag, and between the attached ends of these loops a retaining flap I3 is prefends of the slitted opening.

erably employed. The retaining flap may be fashioned in the shape of a pocket, as indicated in Figure 1, for the reception of a handkerchief, small change, tickets, and other articles, and one end of the flap is secured, as by stitching at M along the upper edge of one side wall of the bag. The flap may overhang the other side wall of the bag and be secured to this latter wall by a snap fastener indicated at l5, for closely retaining the two split portions of the bag in Figures 1 and 3. In the shapes to which the bag is converted in Figures 4 and 5, where the flap is not required to retain the parts of the split bag, the flap may hang down over the side wall of the bag to which it is attached, and the pocket of the the other end I! is partially open, the lower portion of this end I! being closed as indicated. The top portion and part of the end I! is slitted or slotted to form an opening at l8, which extends from end to end of the top and partially, down one end [1 of the bag, and this opening or mouth of the bag is closed by means of a well known type of slidable multiple separable fasten ers or closures, including the parts l9, slide 20, and the holding loops 2| and 2la at the opposite By grasping in one hand the leather loop, the slide may be grasped in the other hand, and then by sliding the slide away from the loop the mouth of the bag may be opened, or the mouth maybe closed, as the case may be. 7

By the slitting or slotting of the top portion, the latter is thus formed in two flaps 22 and 23 that are adapted to infold from the top of the bag in direction opposite to the infolding .of the bottom sections of the bag, and in Figure 1 of the drawings the mouth of the bag is closed in a straight horizontal line by the fastener, as indicated by dotted lines.

In Figure 5 where the bag is converted into a kit-case of rectangular shape, with the top and the ends in flat formation, I have indicated by dotted lines 24 and 25 that extend diagonally at the ends of the bag, and the two parallel lines 21 and 28 that extend longitudinally from end to end of the top of the bag, how the ends and the top portions of the bag are folded to provide the projecting ends of the bag. Thus the material forming the top and two ends of the bag is fashioned in such manner that by infolding the hinged bottom and by infolding the split or sec tional top, the two ends are caused to project outwardly from the body of the bag. These in-, folded portions provide upper and lower longitudinally extending interior partitions 29 and 30 respectively, and the partitions provide two commodious, separated compartments 3| and 32 in the interior of the bag for the reception and storage of various commodities or articles. The partitions fashioned by infolding the bottom and .top of the bag provide compartments in which the various articles may be stowed and kept separated, and of course the slide-fastener l9 which extends across the bottom portion of the upper partition 29 secures the whole bag, by closing its entire mouth.

In Figure 4 where the bottomA-S is flattened out, the sectional top 22-23 only, is infolded, to. 5 form the upper partition and the slide fastener extends straight and horizontally from one projecting end 26 to the other projecting end 26. In this illustrated form of the bag, the latter may be used as a satchel or a pocketbook. 10

In Figure 5, where the bag is converted for use as an arm rest, the rectangular shape of the bag is adapted to receive a rectangular box or boxes of complementary shape, for use as a kit or kit-case, and in this arrangement of parts the 15 kit-case may be used as an arm rest.

fastening means for closing the mouth in said25 top portion, and said bag having opposite foldable end portions held distended from the side walls and bottom by means of the infolded bot. tom and top portions of the bag.

2. A convertible bag comprising an infolded 3 bottom and securing means therefor, an infolded top, and opposed side walls, and said in-, folded parts forming spaced interior compartments, a retaining flap attached to a portion of the infolded top and overhanging a side wall at the opposite side of the bag, means for fastening the free part of said flap to the last mentioned wall, and said bag having oppositely ex-i tending distended ends held in position by said infolded parts. V 40 3. A' convertible bag comprising infolded top and infolded bottom forming interior partitions, said infolded top having a mouth and a closure for the mouth, and said bag having ends of flex-,- ible material held in distended position by said partitions.

4. A convertible bag comprising side walls, an infolded top and an infolded bottom forming upper and lower partitions within the bag, said bag having flexible ends held in folded dis- 60 tended position beyond the lateral edges of the side walls by said partitions, said infolded top having a horizontal mouth-slit extending the maximum length of said bag and between its ends, and a closure for said mouth-slit.

' 5. A convertible bag comprising side walls, an infolded bottom extending the length of said side walls and forming a partition between said walls, means for joining the infolded parts of said bottom, said bag having ends and top portion of flexible material, said top portion having a. mouth-slit extending partially through one end portion and a closure for said mouth-slit, said top portion being infolded to form an interior partition above the infolded bottom of the bag, and the opposite ends of the bag being held distended by the infolded top and infolded bot-v tom portions beyond the lateral edges of the side walls of the bag.

LEO J. RODGERS. 

